Lights, Darling West (Jansen)

Haven't encountered this Norwegian Americana group before, but they've got five albums out and for 2023 dropped their first Christmas album. The group explains that they had done a holiday special in 2022 for Norwegian television and decided to drop an album curated from the songs chosen for the show. The title song is a sweet original ballad, and the rest of the songs are chosen equally from past favorites and Norwegian folk music. Their musical style is almost uber-Americana, incorporating rootsy styles of guitar playing and singing. Because they're European, their approach is almost "better than the real thing," in the same way that Sweden's First Aid Kit comes over. Among the selections the English-speaking world is likely not to have heard before are "Folkefrlsar," "Mitt hjerte alltid vanker," and "Kling no klokka." Other selections include "Christmas Comes To Us All Once a Year," the Mahalia Jackson number; Chris Rea's "Driving Home For Christmas"; "Walking In the Air," the UK favorite from the TV show "The Snowman"; Gordon Lightfoot's "Song For a Winter's Night"; the Band's "Christmas Must Be Tonight"; and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." All told, a little sedate for Mistletunes regulars, but it's well done and eminently listenable.